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{
    "id": 687951,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/687951/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 104,
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    "content": "indigenous people living in these forests will not be subject to harassment and eviction because they have been looking after these forests since time immemorial. The Constitution of Kenya recognises the right of communities living in forests including those living in the gazetted forests. These are communities like the Ogiek, Ndorobos and Boni among others. We hope that they will not be harassed. When it comes to benefits sharing; our Constitution provides that any investment in any particular area should benefit the local people. Forests in this country for a long time have discriminated against the local people. The people in the wards and counties have largely not benefited from the exploitation of forests and its products like timber. There is no specific allocation set aside for the local benefit. The fees that accrue for harvesting have not been shared with the local communities. This Bill will ensure that the local communities share the benefits that accrue. It is one thing to have a Bill and another to have an Act to protect the interests of the local people. It is also another thing to ensure that the letter and spirit of the law and the Constitution are put into practice. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, currently, there are settlement schemes that were established legally by the Government in the forests. There are people who were settled in these forests. Secondly, some of these forests have been excised and their excision gazetted by the Government. There are also settlement schemes whose degazettment is yet to be completed and people settled. I have in mind several settlement schemes in various places including Mt. Elgon. We are all aware of the Chebyuk Settlement Scheme Phases One, Two and Three. We wish that as we move to the next phase under this law, these settlement schemes are degazetted and excluded from the forest reserves once and for all so that people continue farming and earning their living. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we would not wish that when this law is enacted, evictions are conducted on settlement schemes that were already recognised and approved by the Government, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). I request the Members that when the degazettment comes, we support the settled local communities by approving it. I support."
}